Turkey must not ‘misuse’ Interpol in writer’s case – Merkel

BERLIN: Chancellor Angela Merkel on Sunday warned Turkey not to “misuse” Interpol to pursue its critics after a Spanish court ordered the conditional release of a Turkish-German writer wanted by Ankara. Dogan Akhanli, who writes about Turkey’s human rights record, was arrested Saturday while on holiday in Granada on an Interpol red notice, similar to an international arrest warrant, from Ankara. “That’s not on,” said Merkel about the latest case of a German citizen being pursued by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government, adding that countries “must not misuse international organizations such as Interpol.” Cologne-based Akhanli, who has previously been jailed in Turkey before being granted political asylum and citizenship in Germany, was released by the Spanish court on condition he stay in Madrid while authorities await the formal extradition request from Turkey.